Plenty of twists, turns leading up to Missouri Governor's trial on felony invasion of privacy charges

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Updated: 9:12 AM CDT May 10, 2018

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WEBVTT HEARING. IN THIS HEARING, THE STATE PROSECUTORS ADMITTED THEY DO NOT HAVE THIS PHOTO THAT WAS TAKEN. THE GOVERNOR IS ACCUSED OF TAKING THAT PICTURE WITHOUT HER PERMISSION PRODUCING AND INVASION OF PRIVACY CHARGE. THEY WERE ALSO TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WENT TO ONE OF THE LAWYERS FOR THE FORMER HUSBAND. A LOT OF LAST-MINUTE MOTIONS FILED AND DISCUSSED TODAY HERE IN COURT AIRED -- COURT. HALEY: WILL THE PUBLICITY SURROUNDING THIS CASE, RULING THE JURY PULL? MICHEAL: THEY ARE VERY WORRIED. THEY FILED MOTIONS HERE IN THE LAST THREE DAYS ABOUT HOW THEY BELIEVE ALL THIS PUBLICITY AND ST. LOUIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO FIND A FAIR JURY. THEY ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. THEY WILL START TO BRING IN 160 POTENTIAL JURORS TO FILL THE 12 SEATS. THAT STARTS TOMORROW.

Greitens trial: How we got here, what it all means

Plenty of twists, turns leading up to Missouri Governor's trial on felony invasion of privacy charges

Jury selection for Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens’ felony invasion of privacy case begins Thursday in St. Louis. In case you haven’t been paying attention, there have been plenty of twists and turns that have left Show Me State voters grasping for clarification about what is happening and why.

That’s why we’ve turned to KMBC’s Kris Ketz for some clarity.

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Every night during the trial, Ketz will be joined by former assistant prosecuting attorney with the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office Jordon Stanley at 5:30 p.m. for a Facebook live to further analyze the trial.

WHAT IS GREITENS CHARGED WITH?Greitens was charged with felony invasion of privacy in February by a St. Louis grand jury. Greitens – a Republican who political prognosticators believed could be a candidate for higher office someday – is charged with photographing a nude or partially nude woman he was having an affair with without her knowledge or consent in 2015. He was charged with a felony, rather than a misdemeanor, because prosecutors claim Greitens transmitted the photo in a way that allowed it to be viewed on a computer.

HOW DID IT START?A St. Louis television station aired a report in January with claims that during the affair Greitens took a compromising photograph of the woman and threatened to publicize it if she exposed him. Greitens and his wife, Sheena Greitens, then issued a statement after the report aired acknowledging he had the affair and the couple “has dealt with this together honestly and privately.” After charges were filed and leading up the trial, Greitens has unwaveringly denied the charges he blackmailed the woman or took a nude photo of her without permission.

WHAT TYPE OF PUNISHMENT COULD GREITENS FACE? Under Missouri law, transmitting a photo involving nudity is a felony punishable by up to four years in prison. Prosecutors have said the process of taking a cellphone image instantly moves it to the phone’s computer constituting “transmission.” Greitens’ attorneys have argued against that argument.

WHO IS THE WOMAN INVOLVED IN THE CASE? We know her as K.S., though reporters have known her full name but have withheld releasing it. K.S. is how she is identified in court filings. She is on the witness list for the trial, could testify and her name is expected to be finally revealed publicly. She was Greitens hairdresser. She’s a St. Louis mother of two, who was separated from her husband at the time of the affair. She is now divorced. She told members of a special Missouri House Committee she met Greitens in 2013 when he began visiting her salon.

K.S described her relationship with Greitens as “friendly and flirty” in the beginning but things took a different turn when she met Greitens at his Central West End house in March of 2015 where – according to her testimony – he searched her purse, patted her down and looked outside to make sure no one saw her enter the home.

That’s where while undressed and blindfolded, she alleges Greitens took a cellphone image of her and threatened to make sure the photo would be “everywhere” if she ever spoke of their affair. Greitens’ attorneys have also pointed out the woman took part in a lengthy deposition last month where she was asked if she saw what she believed to be a cellphone.

According to the court filing, she said “I haven’t talked about it because I don’t know if it’s because I’m remembering it through a dream or – I’m not sure, but yes, I feel like I saw it after that happened.” Later, members of that special Missouri House Committee reaffirmed their belief that K.S. and her testimony are “credible.”

WHERE IS THE PHOTO AT THE CENTER OF THE CASE? Nobody knows. And nobody knows if there is one.

Greitens is accused of taking an unauthorized and compromising photo of a partially nude woman with whom he was having an affair. As she was blindfolded, the woman alleges seeing “a flash” which prosecutors believe was a cellphone picture being taken. Those same St. Louis prosecutors said this week they have not found any such photo. Greitens has maintained all along there was never a photo. A forensics examiner has been looking at the governor’s cellphone this week.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING IN ST. LOUIS? The charge was filed by the office of St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner.

WHY WON'T THERE BE CAMERAS IN COURT?Judge Rex Burlison has ruled no video cameras in the courtroom because of the “high-profile” nature of the case and concerns over security. The judge has also banned sketch artists, laptops, smartphones and digital recorders. He is allowing news organizations to take still photos for 10 minutes at the beginning of the first day if the trial. The attorney of the woman involved has argued cameras would have a “detrimental effect” on his client as news organizations have continued to conceal her identity. Prosecutors also told the judge they believe cameras in the courtroom could “potentially compromise the ability for both the victim and the defendant to receive justice.”

DOES THIS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH GREITENS’ CHARITY?No. Questions about the campaign use of donor list from The Mission Continues, a veterans’ charity Greitens founded, are part of a separate felony charge the he faces. It will also be at the center of an upcoming special session of the Missouri Legislature where the possibility of impeachment will be considered.

DOES THIS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH JOSH HAWLEY? While it wasn’t Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley’s office that filed charges in this case – there are connections to be sure to the overall troubles facing Greitens. Hawley is a fellow Republican. He’s also running against Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill in the fall. Hawley, like the Republican leadership in the Missouri Legislature, has called for Greitens to resign after allegations surfaced of sexual misconduct which result in this trial. Hawley has provided information to a Special Committee of the Missouri House investigating Greitens over allegations a charity donor list was stolen for use in the governor’s campaign.

Greitens has also gone to court to try and block Hawley from investigating the him. It was Hawley who announced his office had uncovered evidence of “potential criminal acts” connected to that charity donor list which cannot be used for political purposes.